Humans of New York

by Brandon Stanton

Overview

Based on the blog with more than four million loyal fans, a beautiful, heartfelt, funny, and inspiring collection of photographs and stories capturing the spirit of a city

Now an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, Humans of New York began in the summer of 2010, when photographer Brandon Stanton set out to create a photographic census of New York City. Armed with his camera, he began crisscrossing the city, covering thousands of miles on foot, all in an attempt to capture New Yorkers and their stories. The result of these efforts was a vibrant blog he called "Humans of New York," in which his photos were featured alongside quotes and anecdotes.

The blog has steadily grown, now boasting millions of devoted followers. Humans of New York is the book inspired by the blog. With four hundred color photos, including exclusive portraits and all-new stories, Humans of New York is a stunning collection of images that showcases the outsized personalities of New York.

Surprising and moving, printed in a beautiful full-color, hardbound edition, Humans of New York is a celebration of individuality and a tribute to the spirit of the city.


With 400 full-color photos and a distinctive vellum jacket

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250038821
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/15/2013
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	10,351
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

BRANDON STANTON studied at the University of Georgia and worked as a bond trader in Chicago before founding Humans of New York in the summer of 2010. He has appeared on The Today Show and the BBC, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, and his photos have appeared at Vogue.com and TheAtlantic.com. David Karp, the founder of Tumblr, called Humans of New York his favorite Tumblr blog. Stanton lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

When Brandon Stanton bought his first camera in 2010, he was a Chicago bond trader. Then, six months later, he lost his job, moved to New York, and began taking pictures and gathering stories about "humans of New York." Before he knew it, his blog and Tumblr sites had more than a million total followers and an almost uncountable number of notes. What makes this self-trained photographer so popular is his uncanny powers of portrayal coupled with his willingness to let his subjects speak for themselves; witness, "I may look like a schlub, but I've attended 6,000 art lectures at The Met, and I've got more degrees than a thermometer." With its 400 full-color photographs and annotations, this first-ever collection of quintessentially humans of New York confirms the best in who we are. Editor's recommendation.

Six months after Stanton got his first camera in 2010, he lost his job as a bond trader. Before that, he’d been spending his weekends photographing everything he could find in Chicago, returning home with more than 1,000 images each day. After a weekend trip to New York City floored him with the city’s wide variety of inhabitants, Stanton packed his bags and returned to launch “Humans of New York,” a photo blog that soon morphed into a Facebook page that garnered over 500,000 fans in a little over a year. Here, he presents his most striking images accompanied by commentary from his subjects. Many photo essays of this type have a singular topic in mind, such as highlighting urban blight or homelessness. Stanton doesn’t shy away from those topics, but he doesn’t dwell either, preferring to offer a more optimistic view of his fellow New Yorkers. There’s the Yugoslavian janitor who studied for 12 years to earn his classics degree; Banana George, the world’s oldest barefoot water-skier who’s now in a wheelchair; Muslims in prayer; and shots of adorable kids, crazy fashionistas, and young lovers, all paired with a comment from Stanton or from the subjects themselves. There’s no judgment, just observation and in many cases reverence, making for an inspiring reading and visual experience. Photos. Agent: Brian DeFiore, DeFiore and Co. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

An instant publishing phenomenon.” —The New York Times

“Visually arresting and disarmingly deep... The photographs in this volume, some of which have never been published before, capture the city's inhabitants with a commendable eye for demographic diversity and everyday street fashion. But it's Stanton's interviews with his subjects, usually excerpted from their rawest moments, that are the most captivating as they highlight both the hardship and the little victories of an often-unforgiving city.” —The Atlantic

“[A] lovely collection of photos and essays... The images are gorgeous, and the effect is like walking through a version of our city where startlingly honest thought bubbles appear over everyone's heads.” —New York Magazine

“There's no judgment, just observation and in many cases reverence, making for an inspiring reading and visual experience.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Some street photographers hide behind phone booths like paparazzi so their subject won't be aware of their presence, but for Stanton it's precisely that awkward interaction, the tearing down of the wall between strangers, that he covets.” —The Huffington Post

From the Publisher

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